


Quiet Understanding

by TheNyghtRaven



Category: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Mo Dao Zu Shi, 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Brothers, Family, Family Fluff, Gen, LWJ2019, Lan WangJi Birthday, The bond between brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-16 05:59:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17544050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNyghtRaven/pseuds/TheNyghtRaven
Summary: Between most brothers there is usually a bond, an understanding. But between the Twin Jades that understanding is even deeper. Lan Xichen can read his silent little brother Lan WangJi better than anyone else.Lan WangJi gets to go on his first night hunt along with his brother Lan Xichen, and proves that even though he's the younger brother, he can still hold his own.Was planned for Lan WangJi's birthday but ended up being a couple days late by the time I got finished. XD





	Quiet Understanding

A warm spring breeze drifted through the open windows of the Library Pavilion, bringing with it the faint scent of magnolia from the trees outside. Two white clad figures sat together at one of the low desks. Both held themselves with impeccable posture and grace as they compared notes and discussed the subject of the scrolls they were studying. 

Not a sound passed between them as they worked. The brothers shared a bond that had long since transcended the need for talking. A look, a nod, a quiet motion of one hand, a tilt of the head-- to anyone else, completely unreadable, but for Lan Xichen, they spoke volumes. He’d learned to understand his silent little brother over the last thirteen years and while some might say he indulged Lan WangJi entirely too much, Xichen continued to accept the quiet WangJi just the way he was.

Their brushes paused above the scrolls in front of them almost simultaneously as the sound of footsteps seemed loud in the quiet Pavilion. The boys placed their brushes to the side so the ink would not be smudged and rose as one when they saw who had entered the room. 

“Uncle.” Lan Xichen’s mild, calm voice addressed the elder. Beside him, Lan WangJi offered a silent salute and bow that mirrored his brother’s graceful motion. 

Lan QiRen nodded, “Xichen, WangJi. I had hoped to find you here. Xichen, I have an assignment for you.” 

Xichen stepped forward and bowed again, “Yes, Uncle?” 

QiRen gave him a stern look. “You are sixteen now, and I know you have been working very hard on your studies. However, as a future Sect Leader, you will need more experience to develop good leadership skills. To give you opportunities for this, I would like you to start leading night hunts. Take some of the guest disciples out this evening. There have been some reports of activity in the forests near a few small farms to the southwest. I’d like you to investigate it and deal with the situation unless it proves to be more severe than reported. Be sure you have signal flares with you.” 

Xichen nodded, “I understand, Uncle. I will do my best. Did you have particular disciples in mind that you would like for me to take on tonight’s hunt?” 

QiRen considered for a moment and nodded. “Yes, take Bai Yejin, Fu Shan, and Tong Runan. Be sure to pay close attention to how each disciple performs and report back to me when the hunt is complete.” 

A quiet tug at his sleeve drew Xichen’s attention over to his little brother who had slipped up to stand beside him. He saw the silent, hopeful question in WangJi’s pale gold eyes and nodded. Looking back to his uncle, he offered a gentle smile. “Uncle, may WangJi come with me?” 

QiRen frowned as he turned his attention on the younger brother. “WangJi, you are still rather young to be going on night hunts. Even simple ones still involve certain risks.” 

WangJi met his uncle’s stern gaze, and then glanced over at his brother before looking down with a quiet sigh. For Xichen it was impossible to miss the disappointment and frustration his little brother felt. He took a deep breath.

“Uncle, please forgive my boldness, I do not mean to question Uncle’s wisdom. However, WangJi and I have been doing a lot of training together these last few years. I can vouch for his skill and abilities. Also, I would be with him, as well as there being the other disciples. Unless Uncle is really expecting there to be particularly dangerous creatures in the area, would WangJi not be safe enough with us? A good leader should be able to handle multiple responsibilities, yes? Would this not be even more beneficial to my training?”

QiRen studied the brothers as a scowl crossed his face. “WangJi.” 

WangJi looked up again to meet his Uncle’s eyes. “Mm.” 

“You really want to go with Xichen?” 

“Mm.” His light eyes conveyed intense determination.

The elder Lan frowned and stroked his beard for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. Sometimes it truly worried him how much of his father’s stubbornness he saw in WangJi when the boy set his mind to something. 

“If you go, I expect you to do as you are told by the hunt leader, which will be Xichen this time, but that rule goes for any hunt you attend. Do not take any unnecessary risks and remember your training.” 

WangJi gave a silent, firm nod. “Mm.” 

QiRen turned his attention back to Xichen. “You are responsible for keeping him, yourself, and the others safe. Go make your preparations, and I will inform the other three that they’re to join you for the hunt.” 

Xichen nodded, offering his uncle a reassuring, bright smile. “I will keep them all safe, Uncle. We will be careful.” 

QiRen nodded and waved the brothers off. “Go.” 

Xichen nodded and glanced over at WangJi, who mirrored the gesture and they headed out of the Pavilion together. 

****

Lan Xichen’s deep amethyst eyes looked over the gathered disciples as he made sure no one had fallen behind. They had arrived at the small farm near the problem area that Lan QiRen wanted them to investigate. 

Lan WangJi stood quietly at his brother’s side, alert and watchful as Xichen spoke with the farmer. 

The other three disciples, Bai Yejin, Fu Shan, and Tong Runan, stood a little bit apart but also looked around, eager to get the hunt underway. 

Xichen gave the farmer a polite bow, turned toward the nearby forest and motioned for the disciples to follow as he headed in that direction. WangJi stayed close to his left side like a silent shadow. The other three disciples followed a couple paces behind. 

While Xichen had noticed the sidelong glances and cold, disapproving looks the guest disciples had directed toward WangJi, he didn’t read too much into it at first. However, as they walked along, heading further into the forest, his keen hearing caught the whispers and murmured comments that passed between the three.

_ “I thought this was supposed to be a night hunt, why do we have to babysit?”  _ __   
_   
_ __ “What’s a little kid doing on a night hunt? He’s just going to hold us back.” 

_ “I bet he gets scared and runs off crying the second anything shows up.”  _

Xichen frowned and glanced over at his little brother. WangJi kept his gaze straight ahead, chin held high, the epitome of Lan self restraint. At least, so it would seem to anyone other than his brother. Xichen caught the tension in the way WangJi carried himself. He saw WangJi’s hands tighten into fists that he pressed against his side. But, WangJi never said anything. 

Xichen sighed deeply. He knew that he wouldn’t, WangJi didn’t speak lightly, of course he wouldn’t say anything now, no matter how much the words whispered at his back might hurt him.

Finally, Xichen had enough as the whispers got louder and the comments even more unkind. He stopped and gave WangJi a look that told his brother to stay where he was. Then he turned and walked back to the three guest disciples; his usually warm, smiling countenance darkening noticeably.  

“I understand that you three are all guest disciples, so it is understandable that you have not yet had the chance to memorize all of the GusuLan sect rules. Please, allow me to remind you of some of the ones you have been breaking-- Do not judge people behind their back. Do not jump to an unfounded conclusion. Do not form a clique and exclude others. Do not disregard the younger. Do not be haughty and complacent. Do not praise yourself and slander others. Do not insult people. Do not bully the weak.” 

He leveled his dark gaze on each one in turn. “Also, I have a personal rule which you should be aware of. You will not disrespect  _ my  _ brother. Understood?” 

The three disciples shifted uncomfortably under that stern, uncharacteristic glare from the otherwise calm Lan Xichen. After a moment they all nodded. He exhaled sharply and turned to walk back over to his brother. 

WangJi looked up at his brother when Xichen stopped beside him. A quiet look passed between them and WangJi nodded, relaxing visibly. Xichen glanced over his shoulder to the other disciples and motioned for them to follow before he resumed walking and headed further into the forest. 

The five boys fanned out, searching for signs of walking corpses or other monsters. They’d covered a good bit of the forest, having spent a little over an hour at it already without results. 

Suddenly, WangJi tensed, his pale eyes locked on the shadows off to one side. “Brother.” Xichen responded immediately and the Twin Jades moved as one. They drew their swords and took two steps forward before a fierce ghoul rushed out of the brush toward them. The brothers twisted, gracefully spinning in perfect, synchronized motion as they launched their attack on the ghoul at the same time it leapt toward them. 

The ghoul, while formidable, was unable to withstand the combined force of the brothers and it fell to the ground. Xichen moved forward, drawing a talisman out of his sleeve to see that the remains were properly sealed and dealt with. WangJi sheathed his sword and placed himself at his brother’s back, guqin unwrapped and held lightly in his hands.

Behind them, the three guest disciples, for all their brave talk earlier now stood frozen and huddled together in fear. More roars and growls came from the trees around them. As more ghouls broke into the clearing, WangJi sprang into the air. He spun as his fingers brushed across the strings of his guqin, and the ghouls were pushed back by the spiritual energy that he poured into the sound waves. When he landed lightly, he stood alone between the frightened disciples and the ghouls who were starting to pick themselves up after his first attack.

Satisfied that the first ghoul was finished and no longer a threat, Xichen rushed to his brother’s side, sword slashing out to sweep aside three ghouls that sought to attack his brother and the others from the right. He glanced over and caught WangJi’s golden gaze, they both nodded and silently moved to stand back to back.

Xichen sank the tip of his sword into the ground in front of him and pulled his xiao from his sash. The two worked in harmony, a duet to subdue and quiet the resentful ghouls. After several minutes the growls and roars fell silent as the monsters dropped to the ground. Xichen glanced around to ensure that no others were moving, and then nodded to WangJi.

Moving in unison, the brothers withdrew talismans, carefully went around all of the fallen ghouls to make sure they were sealed and no longer dangerous. When they were finished, WangJi carefully re-wrapped his guqin and settled it against his back. He straightened the long sword tassel on _Bichen_ , and then brushed a few bits of dirt from his robes. Then he straightened himself up to the full of his thirteen year old height and looked at the three guest disciples who still hadn’t moved from the spot where they huddled together. 

WangJi lifted his chin ever so slightly and exhaled sharply as his pale gold gaze studied them. Then he gave a curt nod. “Mm.” Turning away, he returned to Xichen’s side.

Xichen smiled and nodded as he tucked his xiao back into his sash and sheathed his own sword. He sighed and quietly turned to face the three disciples. 

“Since the three of you have proven that you do not know my brother, allow me to translate. He said ‘you’re welcome.’ Now, if you think you can manage to get up, we will return to the Cloud Recesses. I need to report the presence of these ghouls to Lan QiRen.”

The trio got up, dusting themselves off while casting confused and dumbfounded looks at WangJi. They realized that they had greatly misjudged the younger boy, but were still too proud to say anything. Instead, they just nodded and followed the brothers as Xichen led the way back out of the forest. 

Since it was fairly late by the time they returned to the Cloud Recesses, Xichen sent the disciples off to rest, and walked WangJi to his own room. 

“Sleep well, WangJi.” 

“Mm.” 

Then the elder Jade headed off to find Lan QiRen to give him his report on the hunt.

****

Xichen frowned when WangJi didn’t show up for breakfast. With a quiet sigh, he gathered up some steamed buns and a few loquats, then went in search of his brother. 

WangJi sat at one of the desks in the Library Pavilion, focused on the paper in front of him as he filled it with rows of tight, neatly written characters. Xichen tilted his head with a fond, patient smile as he knelt down on the other side of the desk. 

“WangJi?” 

The younger Jade glanced up, then his brows twitched downward in a disapproving look as he spotted the wrapped food in his brother’s hands. 

“WangJi, don’t give me that look. I know food is not permitted here. I wasn’t planning on eating it. Come outside with me. You weren’t at breakfast and you know you shouldn’t skip meals.”

WangJi sighed, but set his brush aside and rose with a quiet nod. Xichen smiled warmly as they walked outside to settle on the grass under one of the large magnolia trees. Xichen unwrapped the bundle of food and then studied his little brother.

“What were you working so hard on this early?” 

WangJi took a bite of one of the steamed buns and chewed quietly for a moment before looking up to meet his brother’s dark amethyst gaze. 

“Rules.” 

Xichen arched a brow. “Why are you copying rules? What did you do?” 

WangJi looked down. “Last night. Was rude to the others.” 

Xichen quickly bit his lower lip to contain the impulse to laugh, knowing it would be misinterpreted by his more sensitive brother. “Ah,” he finally managed. “I should join you then. Because if I am honest, WangJi, I was too.” 

WangJi finished one of the buns, and picked up a loquat, then he looked up through his lashes at Xichen. He shook his head. “Thank you.” 

The elder Jade smiled, easily reading what was left unsaid but clearly meant. “You’re welcome, and Uncle said that you are allowed to join me on night hunts, as long as you keep up with your other studies.” 

WangJi nodded, his gold eyes brightening ever so slightly. “Mm.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to explore the bond between the Lan brothers, because it always amused me throughout the novel how well Xichen read WangJi even when no one else noticed any expression. Brother reader is best brother :) 
> 
> Also, in the event anyone is actually curious, the three guest disciple names are totally random and probably awful names because they were very minor side characters I didn't feel like putting any effort into serious names for them. :)


End file.
